St. Landry democrat., 1887-04-30
CHAPTER NNII.

Duran is at her side in an instant. He
has encircled her with his arms. HeT
| head has fallen upon her breast. He
| looks at Boyle as though prepared to dis
! pute him for her to the death: but there
is no occasion for him to be on the defen-
| sive. When that cry, when the word
| "Maurice'' has rushed from her lips,
| Grant, as though he had received a NOR
| tai wound, had looSed his hold of her,
and now stands apart from them, staring
vacantly at the half unconscious girl.
! This he had never suspected That her
heart was not his, he knew; that it was
! in the keeping of another bursts upon
him now for the first time, without mo-
ments warning, and crushes out of him
his last hope.
There is something terrible in the glance
he has bent upon her. He has apparent
| ly given no thought to Duran, though i'll
him he finds his rival; all his thoughts
are centered on Nadine. As if she feels
the terrible concentration of his regard
she shivers in Duran's arms, and slowly
lifts her head. Her eyes met Boyle's
''So!' he says, aud no more.
There is such cruel meaning in the
one word he has uttered that Nadine,
freeing herself from Duran's restraining
grasp goes forward as if to refute in per
son whatsoever he may dare to insist upon.
Yet, as she draws near to him. the ex-
treme agony of his expression touches,
and forbids her to say anything that may
hurt or wound.
''Stand back!'' says Boyle in low tone
''Do not come near me. If you touch me
/ will not answer for myself. Probably I
shall kill you"
''Paul!''
She has forgotten everything save the
despair that she has brought to him, and
that stands marked upon his pallid face.
Il warn you to keep away repeats he
in the same dull, methodical tone as be-
fore. ''1f you spoke forever you could
not tell me more than l know now. 1t Is
too late to cajole or deceive HE further.
You must be satisfied with the old vic
tory"
''1f you would but listen''--
ITO believe again-to be again undone?
Be warnedI' cries he with sudden ac-
cess of violent passion.
eff you approach me one step nearer, if
your treacherOus voice sounds once more
upon my ear, | will dash your false brains
against that wall opposite!' He draws
his breath fiercely, and his hands work
together in q convulsive frenzy. "'Trait-
resi-" he whispers, cold fury in his
tone; chow has it been between us? I
gave you all-my love, my life, my hopes.
You gave me serpent 8 smile and glances
false as hell! With desire in your heart
for another, you held out hand to me,
and swore you knew not the meaning of
the strange word lovei Stand back, tell
You, if life is still of value to you! Nay,
not word! Treacherous devil that you
are, would still spare you!"
''If you would only let me tell you
howl
She has placed her hand appealingly
upon his. With sudden cry, wild as
though coming from beast hurt unto
death, he seizes her, and finging her far
from him, sends her with crash against
the furthest wall.
She drops like a stone to the ground.
Duran, holding her to his heart, looks
round. Boyle is no longer to be seen.
Without waiting to learn the consequences
OF his fury, he had rushed from the room.
y n
"Well, at last my duty is at an end;
my final guest has departed. ] can now